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The footpath to Nehaj
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Because the kids were wet and freezing to death by the end of our morning hike at Plitvice, we decided to head toward the coast via Senj, a tourist town overlooking the Adriatic at the foot of the Velebit mountains. Senj is located at the 45th parallel, giving it something in common with northern Michigan. After we found parking and bathrooms, we located a footpath leading up to the Nehaj fortress, built in 1588. The fortress is the symbol of Senj. Thirty minutes later, we were at the castle, looking at Uskok costumes and walking along the balustrade at the top of the fortress in a fierce wind. The fortress is famous because it was the base for the Uskok warriers, mercenaries, and pirates (sometimes it's hard to tell these roles apart) that rowed a special type of boat -- they were fast and almost invisible before the rowers attacked. They were all around a very feared group of guerillas. After the fortress visit, we ate a late lunch in town and then headed to Rijeka to give my parents a taste of our little piece of Croatia.
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| Two girls smitten with a Senj dog |
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| Senj restaurant and Croatian beer |
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| Trying not to get blown off Nehaj Fortress |
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| A wind-free zone |
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| At Nehaj |
